Moroccan · Salad
Fresh Fava Bean and Herb Salad
Young broad beans, double-podded to their bright green centres and tossed while warm with cumin, garlic, olive oil, lemon and mint — a spring salad that celebrates the short fava season. It is a little labour to peel them, but the sweet, buttery beans reward every minute.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 1 kg fresh fava beans in pods (about 300 g podded)
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 small bunch mint and coriander, chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil, salt, black pepper
Method
- 1
Pod and blanch
Pod the beans, then blanch 2 minutes in boiling water and slip off the grey skins to reveal the bright green centres.
- 2
Make the dressing
Whisk the garlic, cumin, paprika, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- 3
Dress warm
Toss the just-blanched, still-warm beans with the dressing so they take on the flavour.
- 4
Finish
Fold in the mint and coriander and serve at room temperature.
Chef's tips
- Double-podding is worth it — the inner skins are tough and grey, the centres sweet and green.
- Only make this with young beans; large old favas turn starchy and bitter.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use frozen favas?
Yes — frozen podded beans still need their skins slipped off after a quick blanch, and save a lot of time.
What if favas are out of season?
Fresh peas or a mix of peas and edamame make a decent, sweeter stand-in with the same dressing.